Sikorsky announced talks between Kyiv and Warsaw regarding the UPA heroes
Sikorski made these remarks in an interview with Polsat News.
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski stated that Ukraine and Poland are attempting to resolve the controversy over the awarding of the honorary title “in the name of the Heroes of the UPA” to a Ukrainian Special Operations Forces unit.
According to Sikorski, behind-the-scenes talks on this situation are ongoing between Kyiv and Warsaw.
The Polish minister believes that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a mistake in this matter. He acknowledged that the heroes of one country are not necessarily perceived in the same way by other countries, but, in his words, “there are limits”.
Why Poland reacted so strongly
Sikorski explained that for Ukrainians, the UPA is associated with resistance to Soviet rule, whereas for Poles, it is associated with Volhynia.
“I would have expected the Ukrainian side to take our sensitivity on this issue into account. For them, the UPA is associated with resistance to Soviet rule, whereas for us it is associated with Volhynia,” Sikorski stated.
He emphasised that Poland has the right to feel disappointed and to demand that Kyiv’s decision be revised.
At the same time, the Polish minister warned that Moscow could use this conflict to drive a wedge between Ukraine and Poland. According to him, if Russian narratives and disinformation cause a rift between Kyiv and Warsaw, both sides will lose out.
What caused the scandal
The scandal began after Volodymyr Zelenskyy bestowed the honorary title “in the name of the Heroes of the UPA” upon the “North” Special Operations Centre of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
This decision provoked a sharp reaction from some in the Polish political establishment.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki stated that he intends to seek the revocation of Zelenskyy’s Order of the White Eagle – Poland’s highest state honour.
The head of the Polish President’s Office for International Policy, Marcin Przydacz, stated that Zelenskyy should apologise to Nawrocki for this decision.
Krzysztof Bosak, Deputy Speaker of the Sejm and leader of the far-right “Confederation” party, went even further and called for blocking Ukraine’s accession to the EU and Starlink for Ukraine.
What they are saying in Kyiv
In Ukraine, Warsaw’s reaction is seen as overly harsh.
Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga stated that the Ukrainian military personnel who initiated the naming of their unit after the UPA had no intention of offending the Polish people.
According to him, for the Ukrainian military, the UPA’s struggle is a symbol of resistance to Russia’s imperialist policies.
Sybiga also emphasised that the Ukrainian military deserve unconditional respect, and that today Moscow remains a common enemy for both Ukraine and Poland.
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